Fruit-grader.



No. 775,015. PATENTED NOV. 15, 1904.

v T. STRAIN.

FRUIT GRADER. APPLIGATION FILED JAN.12, 1903. no 101121,. a SHEETS-SHEET1.

.ll[llllllillllllllll- No. 775,015. PATENTED NOV. 15, 1904.

T STRAIN FRUIT GRADER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.12, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

NO KODEL.

No. 775,015. PATENTBD NOV. 15, 1904.

T. STRAIN.

FRUIT GBADER.

APPLICATION FILED JAIL-12, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIA UNITED STATES Patented November 15, 1904.

PATENT QFFICEQ FR UIT-GRADER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 775,015, dated November15, 1904. Application filed January 12, 1903. vSerial No. 138,752. (Nomodel.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS STRAIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Placentia, in the county of Orange and State of California,have invented a new and useful Fruit-Grader, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to a machine by means of which different sizes offruit may be gaged and sorted or separated into bins.

One object of my invention is to provide a fruit-grader whichwilleffectively grade'the fruit without damaging the fruit.

Another object of my invention is to provide means whereby the fruitwill le thoroughly mixed or delivered into each bin in such a Way thatthe several sizes of fruit in each bin are perfectly distributed. Thisis a valuable feature, for the reason that although the average size offruit in different bins will vary, still the actual size of fruitdelivered into each bin will also vary somewhat.

Briefly, my invention consists of means for conveying the fruit along aninclined surface and means arranged along the inclined surface to holdfruit of certain sizes at certain points on the inclined surface and toallow certain sizes of fruit to escape at certain points along theinclined surface.

Referring to the drawings, Figure I is a diagrammatical plan view whichshows the general arrangement of the fruit-grader. Fig. II is a sideelevation ofthe conveyer, showing only a few bins. Fig. III is a planView of what is shown in Fig. II. Fig. IV is a detail of a fragment ofpart of the feed-regulator. Fig. V is an enlarged side elevation of asection of the elevator, showing three bins.

Fig. VI is a plan view of what is shown in Fig. V. In this view only oneside of a portion of the elevator has been illustrated. Fig. VII is anenlarged section taken on the line VII VII, Fig. III. Fig. VIII is aplan view, partially in sect-ion, of the lower part of the feeding endof the grader. Inthis view the lower half of the belt is shown. Fig. IXis a transverse sectional view of a portion of one side of the upperpart of the grader. Fig. X is a detail of part of the feeding device.Fig.

XI is a perspective view of a guard and adustable deflector. Fig. XII isa detail of a the frame a pulley 4 is mounted on a shaft journaled in aframe 5, the frame'5 being slidably mounted on horizontal bars 6,supported.v

by the frame 1. I

7 is a flexible connection attached to the frame 5 and passes over anantifriction device 8, carried by the frame 1.

9 is a-weight carried by the flexible connection 7.

10' is a conveyor-belt which has secured in any suitable manner along itinner middle face a narrow reinforcing strip or belt 11,

which latter is mounted upon the pulleys 3 and 4:. The conveyer-belt 10is relatively very much wider than the strip 11.

12 is a table having a middle portion which is horizontal and havingsides which are inclined or sloping along each side of the centerhorizontal part. The central flat part is provided with a slightlongitudinal recess in which loosely rides the belt 11. The inclinedpart of the table 12 is made in sections consistingof a series of hingedleaves 13, each leaf being hinged to the center portion of the table, asat 14.

15 represents cross-bars carried by the frame 1. 16 designates wedgeswhich-arcinterposed between the outer edges of the leaves 13 and thecross-bars 15. Each wedge 16 is connected to a lever 17, the lever 17being pivoted to a bracket 18. By manipulating the lever 17 and movingthe wedges 16 in or out the leaves 13 may be raised or lowered and givena greater or less inclination, as desired.

The belt 10 is supported upon the upper surface of the table 12. Eachleaf near its outer edge is provided with a concave depression 19.

2O designates grading-rods arranged along 1 opposite sides of thegrader, each rod being rotatably mounted on adjustable arms 21. Each arm21 is pivoted to the frame 1, as at 22. Each arm 21 is provided with anenlargement 23,0ne face or side of which is normally in close contactwith the frame 1 to afford suflicient friction for holding the arm 21'in the position in which it is placed, the friction produced beingsufficient to hold the arm in the desired position. The grader-rods 20should be long enough to reach to the end ofthe conveyer. Thegrading-rods are comparatively slender, as shown, and are flexible to aconsiderable extent and are supported at intervals by the arms 21, sothat any section of a grading-rod may be adjusted relatively to theconveyer. For instance, an intermediate section may be adjusted to thedesired-height above the conveyer without disturbing the adjustment ofthe other sections. hen each section of the grading-rods has beenadjusted, as desired, a grading-rod may not be straight, but theflexibility of the rods and comparatively slow speed at which they runpermit of such adjustment. The general line of a grading-rod is ofcourse inclined to the conveyer, but the arms 21 are provided so thatwhen they are adjusted each section of a rod lying between adjacent armsmay be substantially parallel with the conveyer. The grading-rods areprovided with pulley 25 at one end.

26 is a driving-shaft mounted on the frame 1 and driven by a pulley 27.

28 represents pulleys mounted on the driving-shaft 26, each of which isconnected with a pulley 25 by crossed belts.

The grading-rods 2O revolve in opposite directions, and the movement ofthe lower face of the rod is always away from the lower plane of theinclined leaves. This movement prevents. fruit from being drawn in underthe rods and squeezed against the conveyerbelt. The fruit does not passunder the rods until the space reached is just large enough for thefruit to pass through easily.

29 designates an auxiliary conveyer-belt which is mounted on pulleys 30and 31. The pulley 31 is connected to another pulley, 32, by a shaft 33,which latter is mounted on a bracket 34. The pulley 32 is driven by abelt from the pulley on the shaft 26. Arranged at each side of the belt29 are sloping side plates forming a trough 35.

36 designates guards which are supported by rods 37, which are suspendedfrom bars 38. The guards 36 are suspended in such a way that they lieclose to the conveyer-belt and yet do not touch the belt, and as thefruit passes under the grading-rods at different points it is shunted bythe guards 36 into the proper bins. The guards 36 are arranged alongeach side of the conveyer-belt, one guard for each bin.

36 represents brackets attached to the edges of the leaves. Mounted oneach bracket is an inclined deflector 36 The def1ector36 is providedwith a lug 36, and the latter is adjustably mounted on the bracket 36and clamped thereto by means of a'set-serew 36. The deflector 36 may beplaced at any desired point along the bracket 36, so that fruit will beshunted into the bin at any desired point. This allows the fruit to bedelivered into the bin in such a Way that it is thoroughly mixed. If thefruit were delivered into the bin direct from under the grading-rods,the size of fruit in the bin at one extreme side would belarger than thesize at the other side. To obviate this difliculty, I employ the guards36 and deflector 36, by means of which the fruit is thoroughly mixed inthe bin, and no particular size occupies a particular place in the bin,as would be the case were the guards and dc flectors not employed.

39 designates a pulley on the shaft 2.

40 designates a pulley on the shaft 26.

The pulleys 40 and 39 are connected by a be t.

41 42 43 44 designate walls which are supported by rods 45. The rods 45are carried by cross-bars 15. The Walls 41, 42, 43, and 44 are suspendedabove the bottom part or run of the belt 10 in such a way that they lieclose to the belt and yet do not touch the belt. These walls providethree troughs (L b 0. Troughs a and I) provide for guiding into suitablebins the fruit that is removed by the sorters from the conveyer-belt.The troughs a and 7) are merely of sufficient length to extend alongthat portion of the length of the grader which is devoted to thesorters. In a fruitgrader which is thirty feet long this space devotedto the sorter may be about onethird. The middle trough 0, as shown inFigs. 11 and 111, communicates, through the medium of a trough 46, withthe upper surface of one side of the conveyer-belt 10. The other end ofthe trough 0 is offset and terminates in the trough 35.

47 designates an inclined trough arranged over the feeding end of thegrader. In the center of the trough 47 is an oscillatory feedregulator48, formed of segmental plates 49, which plates are connected togetherby pieces 50, the feeder being pivotally mounted at 52 to the trough 47.

51 designates plates which are adjustably attached at angles to thesegmental plates 49.

The plates 51 are spaced apart at their adjacent edges, the space beingsufficiently small to retain fruit which it is desired to have passthrough the grader and yet will allow fruit which is very muchundersized and which it is not desired to grade to drop through thespace and be discharged.

The feed-regulator 48 is provided with an upright arm 53, which may beconnected with per end of the fruit-elevator 58 to of the tilting table55, which passes over a pulley 60 and may be connected with aprimedrawings. When the tilting table 55 becomes filled with fruit, theweight of the fruit causes the table to tilt downward, which pulls onthe flexible connection 59. and the latter controls the action of theprime feeding device. (Notshown in the drawings.) The fruit isdischarged from the tilting table 55 into the trough 47 and rolls downthe same till it comes in contact with the feed-regulator 48. It staysin that position until the feed-regulator is rocked into such positionthat the plate 52 is brought into a position that allows the fruit toroll up onto the plate 52 and into the V-shaped portion of thefeed-regulator. The feed-regulator after being filled is graduallyrocked into the position shown in Fig. X and continues until the fruitin the regulator is discharged therefrom into the lower part of thetrough. The fruit in the trough 47 is prevented from entering thefeed-regulator by reason of the curved segmental plate 49. Any fruitwhich has been admitted to the feed-regulator which is undersized willfall through the opening between the two plates 52.

58 is a bar which is pivoted at 58 to the trough 47 and liestransversely of the trough, the trough 47 being slotted, as at 47, toreceive the bar 58. By swinging the bar 58 into or out of the trough thefruit may be stopped or allowed to travel. When the fruit is stoppedthereby, the fruit piles up and accumulates on the tilting table,causing the same to operate and shut downthe prime feeding device. (Notshown.)

In operation fruit is delivered onto the conveyer-belt 10 from thetrough 47. The fruit is carried along on the conveyer-belt 10 betweenthe ridges 10, extending longitudinally on the outer face thereof.Sorters who stand along both sides of the grader near the feeding endpick out what fruit is not suitable for packing and place such fruit inthe troughs a and I), and this fruit is conveyed by the lower part ofthe belt through the troughs a and Z) and delivered into suitable bins.The sorters pick off good fruit from between the ridges 10 and place iton each of the inclined sides of the belt, where the fruit rolls downagainst the grading-rods 20 and is carried along the grading-rods 20.The space between the grading-rods and the belt 10 gradually varies, sothat the larger fruit is carried by the conveyer-belt to the farther endof the grader and the small fruit is allowed to escape under thegrading-rods at a point much closer to the feeding end of the machine.lntermediate sizes of fruit will escape under the rods at intermediateplaces along the rod. It will be observed that by reason of the rotationof the rods 20 the fruit is prevented from becoming pinched between therods 20 and belt 10, the rotation of the rods being in a l directionwhich does not tend to draw the feeding devlce which is not shown in thefruit under the rods. It will be seen that the fruit is carried to theutmost limit as detain the fruit on the conveyer-belt 10. hen a certainsize fruit is discharged under the rod 20, which can only occur at clearspaces between consecutive guards 36, it rolls down the inclined beltand rest against the lower section of a guard 36. (See Fig. 1X.) hen thefruit is in contact with the guard 36, it rests in the concave hollowdepression 19.

being delivered into the bin until the belt has traveled a sufficientdistance to bring the fruit to the desired point opposite the bin, atwhich point the deflector 36,which stands in front of the offsetinclined part of the next guard, shunts the fruitinto the bin. Thehollow depression holds the fruit on the conveyor-belt after the fruithas passed under the grading-rods before being shunted by the guards.Fruit that is not removed by the sorters from the central portion of thebelt is carried to the farther end of the grader, where it is deflectedby means of the grader 61 and delivered into the trough 46, down throughwhich the fruit rolls, being discharged onto the lower part of the belt10, fallinginto the trough 0. The fruit is conveyed back to the feedingend of the grader by the lower part of the belt and is guided by thetrough 0 into the trough 35, and from the latter it is delivered ontothe auxiliary conveyor-belt 29, which carries it rearward to theelevator 58, the connection between this conveyer and elevator is notshown in the drawings.

The space between the rods 20 and the conveyer-beltmay be adjusted intwo wayseither by raising or lowering the grading-rods 20 by means ofthe arms 21, or by raising or lowering the leaves 13 by moving thewedges 16 in or out by manipulation of the levers 17. The latter methodis preferable for the reason that it does not throw the grading-rod 20out of its natural alinement. It should be understood that as thegrading-rod 20 is slender it permits of being adjusted within reasonablelimitsthat is, it permits being thrown out of straight alinement. Byraising and lowering the leaves 13 accurate adjustment of space may besecured for each section of the grader. It should be understood that themovement of the leaves or of the rods 20 when being adjusted is veryslight, comparatively, and that the guards 36 are arranged a isufiicient distance above the conveyer-belt to termined by the spacewhich will allow or re- I The guard 36 serves to hold the fruit fromallow the desired movement in adjusting the leaves.

Referring to Fig.VII,62 designates a trough formed of inclined platesprovided on their upper surfaces with padding, such as 63, these serveto guide and soften the fall of the fruit from the trough 4:7 onto theconveyerbelt 10, the oranges in falling strike the padded portion 63,which prevents the fruit being bruised.

It should be understood that I contemplate making such changes andalterations in the herein-described embodiment as will come Within thescope of my invention.

What I claim,and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is

1. A fruit-grader comprising means for conveying fruit along a definiteline of travel, said means being inclined transversely of the line oftravel, an inclined grading-rod lying along said line of travel abovesaid conveying means, and means for adjustingintermediate sections ofthe grading-rod relatively to the gradingrod.

2. A fruit-grader comprising means for conveying fruit along a definiteline of travel, said means being inclined transversely of the line oftravel, an inclined grading-rod lying along said line of travel abovesaid conveying means, a series of arms supporting said grading-rod atintervals, means for supporting said arms, and means for frictionallyholding said arms in a desired position.

3. A fruit-grader comprising means for conveying fruit along a definiteline of travel, said means being inclined transversely of the line oftravel, a table for supporting said inclined conveying means, aninclined grading-rod lying along said line of travel above saidconveying means, means for rotating said grading-rod, and-means forsupporting said grading-rod embracing an arm pivoted between said pairof bars and a bolt passing through said bars and arm.

4. A fruit-grader comprising means for conveying fruit along a definiteline of travel, said means being inclined transversely of the line oftravel, a table for supporting said conveying means, a plurality ofpairs of upright bars supporting the table, an arm pivoted between eachpair of bars, an inclined grading-rod lying along said line of travelabove said conveying means, said rod beingrotatably mounted in said armsand means for rotating said rod.

5. A fruit grader comprising traveling means for conveying fruit along adefinite line of travel, said means embracing movable opposite inclinedportions and flexible means for retaining fruit on each of said inclinedportions and lying along said line of travel above said conveying meansand having its axis inclined.

6. A fruit grader comprising traveling means for conveying fruit along adefinite line of travel, means embracing movable opposite inclinedportions the inclination of each portion being transverse of the line oftravel, a plurality of flexible inclined grading-rods, each rod lyingalong said line of travel above said conveying means, and means forrotating said grading-rods.

7. A fruit grader comprising traveling means for conv ying fruit along adefinite line of travel, means embracing movable opposite inclinedportions, the inclination of each portion being transverse of the lineof travel, a plurality of flexible inclined grading-rods, eachgrading-rod lying along said line of travel above said conveying meansand means for rotating said grading-rods in opposite directions.

8. A fruit grader comprising traveling means for conveying fruit along adefinite line of travel, means embracing movable opposite inclinedportions, the inclination of each portion being transverse of the lineof travel, a plurality of flexible grading-rods, each grading-rod lyingalong said line of travel above said conveying means, and means forrotating said grading-rods in opposite directions, the directions ofrotation of each rod being such that the moving under surface of eachrod is substantially directed away from the lower plane of its adjacentinclined portion of said conveying means.

9. Afruit-gradercomprisingmeans for conveying fruit along a definiteline of travel embracing an endless belt, means for supporting oppositesides of said belt in symmetrical inclined positions,means for gagingfruit on said inclined portions of said belt and lying along said lineof travel above said belt, said latter means having their axes inclinedin the same direction.

10. A fruit-grader comprising means for conveying fruit along a definiteline of travel, said means embracing an endless belt, means forsupporting opposite sides of said belt in symmetrical inclinedpositions, a plurality of grading-rods, each rod lying along said lineof travel above said belt, both grading-rods being inclined in the samedirection, and means for rotating said grading-rods.

11. A fruit-grader comprising means for conveying fruit along adefiniteline of travel, said means embracing an endless belt, means forsupporting opposite sides of said belt in symmetrical inclinedpositions, a plurality of grading-rods, each grading-rod lying alongsaid line of travel above said belt, both grading-rods being inclined inthe same direction, and means for rotating said grading-rods, thedirection of movement of both rods being such that the moving undersurface of each rod is substantially directed away from the lower planeof the inclined parts of said belt.

12. A fruit-grader comprising a frame, a table consisting of ahorizontal central portion having a plurality of opposite hinged leaves,

means for supporting said leaves in a desired position, an endless belt,means for propelling said belt longitudinally over said table, and meansfor retaining fruit on said belt and lying along said line of travelabove said belt and having its axis inclined.

13. A fruit-grader comprising a frame, a table consisting of ahorizontal central portion having a plurality of opposite hinged leaves,means for supporting said leaves in a desired position, an endless belt,means for propelling said belt longitudinally over said table, means forretaining fruit on said belt and lying along said line of travel abovesaid belt and having its axis inclined, and means for adjusting each ofsaid leaves independently of the others.

14:. A fruit-grader comprising a frame, a table consistingof ahorizontalcentral portion having a plurality of opposite hinged leaves, means forsupporting said leaves in a desired position, an endless belt, means forcausing said belt to travel longitudinally over said table, means forgaging fruit on said belt, and lying along said line of travel abovesaid belt and having its axis inclined, cross-bars on said frame undereach leaf, a Wedge interposed between each leaf and each cross-bar andmeans for adjusting said Wedges.

15. A fruit-grader comprising a frame, a

' table consisting of a horizontal central portion having a plurality ofopposite hinged leaves, means for supporting said leaves in a desiredposition, an endless belt, means for causing said belt to travellongitudinally over said table, and means for retaining fruit on saidbelt, and lying along said line of travel above said belt and having itsaxis inclined, a plurality of cross-bars on said frame,a cross-bar beingunder each leaf, a Wedge interposed between each leaf and cross-bar,andaplurality of levers pivoted to the frame, each lever being connectedto a Wedge.

16. A fruit-grader comprising a frame, a table supported on the frameconsisting of a horizontal central portion having a plurality of pivotedleaves, a pulley rotatably mounted at one end of said table, a frameslidably mounted on horizontal bars at the other end of saidfirst-mentioned frame, a pulley rota-' tably mounted on said slidableframe, a belt carried by said pulleys, the upper half of said belt lyingalong and supported upon said table and leaves, and means for drawingsaid pulley in a direction away from said firstnamed pulley and therebyplacing said belt under tension.

17. A fruit-grader comprising a frame, a table supported on the frameconsisting of a horizontal central portion having a plurality of leaves,a pulley rotatably mounted at one end of said table, a frame slidablymounted on horizontal bars at the other end of said firstmentionedframe, a pulley rotatably mounted on said slidable frame, a belt carriedby said pulleys, the upper half of said belt lying along and restingupon said table andleaves, aflexible connection connected to saidslidable frame, a sheave supporting said flexible connection, a Weightcarried by the end of said flexible connection.

18. A fruit-grader comprising means for conveying fruit along a definiteline of travel, said means being inclined transversely of the line oftravel, an inclined grading-rod lying along said line of travel abovesaid conveying means, means for rotating said grading-rod, andstationary guards and deflectors mounted above said conveying means.

19. A fruit-grader comprising means for conveying fruit along a definiteline of travel, said means being inclined transversely of the line oftravel, an inclined grading-rod lying along said line of travel abovesaid conveying means, means for rotating said grading-rod, andstationary guards mounted above said conveying means, each guardcomprising offset Walls, each Wall lying indifferent vertical planes,the inner Wall lying adjacent said grading-rod.

20. A fruit-grader comprising means for conveying fruit along a definiteline of travel, said means being inclined transversely of the line oftravel, an inclined grading-rod lying along said line of travel abovesaid conveying means, means for rotating said grading-rod, guards forsaid conveying means, brackets connected to the frame and supportingsaid guards.

21. A fruit-grader comprising means for conveying fruit along a definiteline of travel, said means being inclined transversely of the line oftravel, an inclined grading-rod lying along said line of travel abovesaid conveying means, means for rotating said grading-rod, andstationary guards mounted above said conveying means and a deflectoradjustably mounted near said guard and movable along said guard.

22. A fruit-grader comprising means for conveying fruit along a definiteline of travel, said means being inclined transversely of the line oftravel, an inclined grading-rod lying along said line of travel abovesaid conveying means, means for rotating said grading-rod, andstationary guards mounted above said conveying means, a deflector, aperforated lug thereon, a horizontal bracket mounted on said frame andparallel With said guard, said perforated lug being mounted on saidbracket and a set-screw through the lug and bearing against the bracket,said deflector-plate lying at an angle to said guard.

23. A fruit-grader comprising means for conveying fruit along a definiteline of travel, said means being inclined transversely of the line oftravel, an inclined grading-rod lying along said line of travel abovesaid conveying means, means for rotating said grading-rod, stationaryguards mounted above said con- IIO veying means, a deflector with aperforated lug thereon, a horizontal bracket mounted on said frame andparallel with one of said guards, said perforated lug being mounted onsaid bracket and a set-screw through the lug and bearing against thebracket said deflector lying at an angle to said guard, and parallelwith the offset part of said guard.

24. A fruit-grader having a frame, a table consisting of a depressedhorizontal central portion, a plurality of leaves hinged on oppositesides, an endless belt movable along the upper surface of said table andleaves, and a relatively narrow reinforcing-belt on the inside of saidmain belt. said reinforcingbelt lying within said depressed centralportion.

25. A fruit-grader having a frame, a table having a depressed horizontalcentral portion, a plurality of leaves hinged on opposite sides of thecentral portion, an endless belt movable along the upper surface of saidtable and leaves, a relatively narrow reinforcing-belt on the inside ofsaid main belt, said reinforcingbelt lying within said depressed centralportion, and a pair of opposite ridges on the outside face of saidconveyer-belt.

26. A fruit-grader having a frame, a table mounted on the frameembracing a plurality of opposite hinged leaves, each leaf beingprovided with a concave depression along its outer edge, a conveyer-beltmounted to move along the upper surface of said table and leaves, a pairof grading-rods arranged along opposite sides of the leaves and insideof said depression, and means for rotating said gradingrods.

27 A fruit-grader comprising means for conveying fruit along a definiteline of travel, said means being inclined transversely of the line oftravel, a plurality of flexible inclined grading-rods lying along saidline of travel above said conveying means, means for rotating saidgrading-rods, means for feeding fruit to one end of said conveyingmeans, and a deflector at the other end of said conveying means.

28. A fruit-grader comprising means for conveying fruit along a definiteline of travel, said means being inclined transversely of the line oftravel, an inclined grading-rod lying along said line of travel abovesaid conveying means, means for rotating said grading-rods, means forfeeding fruit to one end of said conveying means, a deflector at theother end of said conveying means, a trough having a mouth arrangedadjacent said deflector, said trough extending below the upper part ofthe belt, and having its discharge-spout arranged above the central partof the lower part of the conveyer means.

29. A fruit-grader comprising means for conveying fruit along a definiteline of travel, said means being inclined transversely of the line oftravel, an inclined grading-rod lying along said line of travel abovesaid conveying means, means for rotating said grading-rod. means forfeeding fruit to one end of said conveying means, means at the other endof said conveying means for transferring fruit from the retainingportion of said conveying means, a longitudinal trough mounted above theretaining or lower part of said conveying means.

30. -A fruit-grader comprising means for conveying fruit along adefinite line of travel, said means being inclined transversely of theline of travel, an inclined grading-rod lying along said line of travelabove said conveying means, means for rotating said grading-rod, meansfor feeding fruit to one end of said conveying means, means at the otherend of said conveying means for transferring fruit to the returningportion of said conveying means, a longitudinal trough mounted above thereturning or lower part of said conveying means, an auxiliary conveyerconnecting with the rear end of said last-named trough, said auxiliarycomprising an endless belt mounted on a pair of pulleys, and means fordriving said pulleys.

31. A fruit-grader comprising a frame, a pulley mounted in each end ofsaid frame, a belt mounted on said pulleys, a conveyerbelt connected tosaid first-named. belt, means for supporting the outer portions of saidconveyer-belt in inclined positions, a pair of grading-rods mountedabove said conveyerbelt, each rod being near the outside edge of theconveyer-belt and slightly above the belt, the space between the rodsand the belt at the feeding end of said belt being less than thedistance between said rods and said belt at points beyond said feedingend, and means for rotating said rods in opposite directions.

32. A fruit-grader comprising means for conveying fruit along a definiteline of travel, said means being inclined transversely of the line oftravel, an inclined grading-rod lying along said line of travel abovesaid conveying means, means for rotating said grading-rod, means forfeeding fruit to said conveying means comprising an inclined trough, anoscillatory feed-regulator mounted transversely 'ofsaid trough, saidfeed-regulator comprising a pair of segmental curved plates concentricwith the axis of said feed-regulator, a pair of flat plates mounted onthe upper edges of said curved plates, the free edges of said flatplates being at angles to each other, and means for oscillating saidfeed-regulator.

33. A fruit-grader comprising means for conveying fruit along a definiteline of travel, said means being inclined transversely of the line oftravel, an inclined grading-rod lying along said line of travel abovesaid conveying means, means for rotating said grading-rod, means forfeeding fruit to said conveying means comprising an inclined trough, anoscillatory feed-regulator mounted transversely IIO Lil

of said trough, said feed-regulator comprising a pair of segmentalcurved plates concentric with the axis of said feed-regulator, a pair offlat plates mounted on the upper edges of said curved plates the freeedges of said flat plates being at angles to each other, and means foroscillating said feed-regulator, the axis of said feed-regulator beingsubstantially in a line with the bottom of said inclined trough.

34. A fruit-grader comprising means for conveying fruit along a definiteline of travel, said means being inclined transversely of the line oftravel, means for grading fruit lying along said line of travel abovesaid conveying means and having its axis inclined, means for feedingfruit to said conveying means embracing an inclined trough, anoscillatory feedregulator extending transversely of said inclinedtrough, means for oscillating said feedregulator, and a balanced tiltingtable mounted above said inclined trough.

35. A fruit-grader comprising a frame, a table supported by the frameembracing a horizontal portion, inclined hinged leaves, a pulley mountedon each end of the frame, a belt carried by the belt, said belt movablealong over the upper faces of said table and leaves, means for feedingfruit to the upper face of said belt at one end, means at the other endof said belt for transferring fruit from the upper face of the belt tothe lower part of the belt, a trough extending along the upper side ofthe lower part of said belt, said trough being slightly above the beltand at its rear end being offset and extending beyond the edge of thebelt, and a pair of relatively short auxiliary troughs parallel with themain part of the longitudinal trough and adjacent the offset of the maintrough.

36. A fruit-grader comprising means for conveying fruit along a definiteline of travel, said means being inclined transversely of the line oftravel, an inclined grading-rod lying along said line of travel abovesaid conveying means, means for rotating said grading-rod, a series ofbins arranged along each side of the conveying means and means foradjusting portions of said grading-rod to various heights above theconveying means adjacent to each bin.

37. A fruit-grader comprising means for conveying fruit along a definiteline of travel, said means being inclined transversely of the line oftravel, an inclined grading-rod lying along said line of travel abovesaid conveying means, means for rotating said grading-rod, means forsupporting said conveying means embracing a table consisting of acentral horizontal portion and a plurality of inclined hinged leavesarranged along each side of the horizontal part, a plurality of bins forthe respective leaves, a bin being arranged adjacent each leaf, meansfor adjusting each leaf independently of the others, a plurality ofguards for the respective bins, each of said guards extendingconsiderably each side of the partition between two bins.

38. A fruit-grader comprising means for conveying fruit along a definiteline of travel, said means being inclined transversely of the line oftravel, an inclined grading-rod lying along said line of travel abovesaid con veying means, means for rotating said grading-rod, means forfeeding fruit to said conveying means comprising an inclined trough, anoscillatory feed-regulator rotatabl y mounted in said inclined trough,said feed-regulator comprising a pair of segmental curved platesconcentric to theaxis of said feed-regulator, a pair of flat plates,each plate being provided with elongated slots, screws passing throughsaid slots and fastening said flat plates to-said curved plates, andmeans for rocking said feed-regulator.

39. In a device of the character described, means for feeding fruitthereto consisting of an inclined trough, an oscillatory feed-regulatorarranged transversely of said trough, said feed-regulator comprising apair of curved segmental platesconcentric with the axis of saidfeed-regulator, and a pair of flat plates adjustably secured at anglesto said curved plates, and means for rocking said feed-regulator.

L0. In a fruit-grader, a frame, a drivingshaft mounted at one end of theframe, a slidable regulating-frame mounted on horizontal bars of themain frame, a shaft mounted on said slidable frame, a pulley mounted onthe latter shaft,.a pulley mounted on the drivingshaft, a conveyer-beltmounted on the tWo pulleys, a second shaft mounted on the frame, a pairof grading-rods extending longitudinally of said conveyer-belt, each rodbeing spaced slightly above the belt and inclined, a pair of pulleys onthe second driving-shaft, a pulley on the rear end of each grading-rod,a belt connecting each of said pulleys with pulleys on the seconddriving-shaft, an auxiliary conveyer comprising a pair of pulleys, abelt connecting said pulleys, said auxiliary conveyer lying parallel tosaid conveyer-belt, bins arranged along each side of the conveyerbelt,guards in front of each bin, said guards embracing a plate offset toform two parallel planes, a horizontal bracket mounted on the outer edgeof a leaf, an adjustable deflector comprising a plate provided with aperforated lug, said lug being slidably mounted on said bracket and aset-screw passing through said lug and fastening the same to saidbracket.

tl. In a fruit-grader, a frame, a drivingshaft mounted at one end of theframe, a slidable lfegulating-frame mounted on horizontal bars of themain frame, a shaft mounted on said slidable frame, a pulley mounted onthe driving-shaft, a traveling belt mounted on the two pulleys, a seconddriving-shaft mounted on the frame, a pair of grading-rods extendinglongitudinally of said belt, each rod lying near and spaced slightlyabove the belt, each rod being inclined, a pair of pulleys on the seconddriving-shaft, a pulley on the rear end of each grading-rod, a beltconnecting each of said pulleys With pulleys on the seconddriving-shaft, an auxiliary conveyer comprising a pair of pulleys and abelt connecting said pulleys, said auxiliary conveyer lying parallel tosaid conveyer-belt, bins arranged along each side of the conveyer-belt,guards in front of each bin, a guard embracing a plate offset to formtWo parallel planes, a plurality of brackets, a bracket being mounted onthe edge of each leaf, an inclined deflector-plate hav-

